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Elena Renken

Contributing Writer

Latest Articles

Video of fluorescent neural crest cells migrating through zebra fish tissues.
developmental biology

Cells Blaze Their Own Trails to Navigate Through the Body

By Elena Renken
March 28, 2022
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With self-generated gradients of chemicals and physical tension, cells in the body steer themselves to vital destinations.

A detailed photo of a fruit fly wing in silhouette.
developmental biology

Mathematical Analysis of Fruit Fly Wings Hints at Evolution’s Limits

By Elena Renken
September 20, 2021
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A painstaking study of wing morphology shows both the striking uniformity of individuals in a species and a subtle pattern of linked variations that evolution can exploit.

patterns

Turing Patterns Turn Up in a Tiny Crystal

By Elena Renken
August 10, 2021
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The mechanism behind leopard spots and zebra stripes also appears to explain the patterned growth of a bismuth crystal, extending Alan Turing’s 1952 idea to the atomic scale.

An illustration of a network of neurons, each one equipped with its own stopwatch.
neuroscience

Neurons Unexpectedly Encode Information in the Timing of Their Firing

By Elena Renken
July 7, 2021
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A temporal pattern of activity observed in human brains may explain how we can learn so quickly.

An illustration of a brain bordered by a network of lymphatic vessels. A door at the back of the brain lets light in.
immunology

A Backdoor Lets the Immune System Monitor the Brain

By Elena Renken
April 28, 2021
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A newfound hub of immune system activity at the back of the brain solves a century-old puzzle.

A hollow, cylindrical skeleton formed from a lattice of glass strands shown against a black background.
Abstractions blog

The Curious Strength of a Sea Sponge’s Glass Skeleton

By Elena Renken
January 11, 2021
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A glass sponge found deep in the Pacific shows a remarkable ability to withstand compression and bending, on top of the sponge’s other unusual properties.

Looping video that shows transformations between African cichlid species.
Abstractions blog

New Fish Data Reveal How Evolutionary Bursts Create Species

By Elena Renken
December 1, 2020
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In three bursts of adaptive change, one species of cichlid fish in Lake Tanganyika gave rise to hundreds.

Fluorescent cross-section of a mouse’s brain.
Abstractions blog

Brain Cell DNA Refolds Itself to Aid Memory Recall

By Elena Renken
November 2, 2020
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Researchers see structural changes in genetic material that allow memories to strengthen when remembered.

Spindly green star-shaped cells against a black background.
Abstractions blog

Glial Brain Cells, Long in Neurons’ Shadow, Reveal Hidden Powers

By Elena Renken
January 27, 2020
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The glial cells of the nervous system have been eclipsed in importance by neurons for decades. But glia are turning out to be central to many neurological functions, including pain perception.


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About the author

Elena Renken is a science writer based in New York. She is a former editor-in-chief of the Brown Daily Herald at Brown University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society. She has made videos for PBS NOVA, reported for The Providence Journal and written for SciLine, the communications service of AAAS.
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